Decemberfest Lager (previous recipes)

This is the Archive Page for previous recipes for Decemberfest Lager batches. 

For the most recent recipe, see Decemberfest Lager.

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2020. 

Around September, I thought I should brew an Oktoberfest lager. I never got around to it.

In October, I thought maybe a Novemberfest lager would be a good idea. I never got around to it.

In November, I thought maybe a Decemberfest lager would work. I never really got around to it until mid-December.

It probably won't be ready to drink before January, but I thought I could still call it Decemberfest as I was brewing it in December. And ... I might drink some of it before the end of the year.

Rather than the Marzen style, I went with more of a "Festbier". My first attempt at this style.

Batch #1 of this beer was my 6th batch that I brewed on my Anvil Foundry. 

This is one of those beers that both the Brew Master and the Beer Model like.

It is a beautiful golden lager. Not too light. Not too heavy. 

Not too malty. Not too hoppy.

Not too sweet. Not too bitter.

Just an awesome easy drinking lager. At 5.5% ABV, it isn't sessionable, but at the same time, it isn't a beer that will mess you up if you drink one or two.

Pretty much a beer-drinker's beer.

Awesome.

For more information about this beer, see Sheppy's Blog: Decemberfest.

Decemberfest Lager --- Batch 1

Style		Festbier		Batch Size		6.00 gal
Type		All Grain		Boil Size		7.09 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency		70.00		Boil Time		60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity		1.055 SG		Estimated FG		1.011 SG
Recipe Bitterness		25.7 IBUs (Rager)		Alcohol by Volume		5.8 %
BU : GU		0.464
Recipe Color		6.5 SRM		Color
Measured OG:		1.052		Measured FG:		1.010
ADF:		81		Measured ABV:		5.5%

Ingredients

Ingredients

Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
8.05 gal	Denver, Colorado	Water	1	-	-
6.00 g	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash)	Water Agent	2	-	-
3.00 g	Chalk (Mash)	Water Agent	3	-	-
2.00 g	Calcium Chloride (Mash)	Water Agent	4	-	-
7 lbs	Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)	Grain	5	53.8 %	0.55 gal
5 lbs	Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM)	Grain	6	38.5 %	0.39 gal
1 lbs	Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM)	Grain	7	7.7 %	0.08 gal
1.000 oz	Magnum [11.20 %] - Boil 30.0 min	Hop	8	22.2 IBUs	-
1.00 Items	Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins)	Fining	9	-	-
1.00 tsp	Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 mins)	Other	10	-	-
1.000 oz	Hallertau [5.30 %] - Boil 5.0 min	Hop	11	3.4 IBUs	-
1.0 pkg	Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) [50.28 ml]	Yeast	12	-	-

Mash Profile

Mash Steps

Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Saccharification	Add 32.18 qt of water at 157.0 F	150.0 F	45 min
Heat	Heat to 156.0 F over 10 min	156.0 F	20 min

If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Make 1.4 liter (6 cups) yeast starter a day before brew day.
Brewing salts in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=135,Mg=8,Na=21,SO4=161,Cl=55,HCO3=163
Brew as directed from recipe.
Cool wort to as close to 50 degrees as possible.
Ferment in 50's for about 5 days, let rise to high 60's for another week.
Keg carbonate.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:				Strike Temp:
Mash Temps:
Pre-boil OG		(1.049 SG)		Pre-boil Vol		(7.09 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency				Pitch Temp
Fermentation
Day 1:
Day ...
Day ...  Brewing Notes: 12/12/2020 esheppy Making yeast starter out of trub I collected from Schreck Gartenzwerg Pilsner. Brew day tomorrow. Looks like it will be a cold one.  12/14/2020 esheppy Brew day went well yesterday. My OG was a little low, but that's ok. 1.052. This morning, the fermentation is going at 51 degrees. Set the Anvil temperature controller to 52.  12/15/2020 esheppy Tilt says 1.042 at 52. Setting temp to 53.  12/16/2020 esheppy Tile says 1.031 at 54. Moving the temp up to 54. Bubbling still pretty active.  12/17/2020 esheppy Tilt says 1.022 at 55, which is the Anvil set point right now. I'll probably set to 56 before the end of the day. Tomorrow, I'll probably turn off temp control completely.  12/18/2020 esheppy 1.015 57. Still bubbling pretty good.  12/19/2020 esheppy Tilt says 1.013 at 59. Turned up temp to 62.  12/20/2020 esheppy Tilt says 1.011 at 62. Unplugged pump.  12/22/2020 esheppy Tilt says 1.010 at 67. Not much bubbling. I think this is pretty much done fermenting. I don't have an empty keg, but I think I will soon. The plan is to keg the 26th.  12/23/2020 esheppy Took a little sample. Cloudy but nice flavor. 1.010 at 67.  12/27/2020 esheppy Kegged. FG 1.010. Nice golden color. Pretty simple lager profile. None of the heavy caramel or Munich flavors of a marzen Just a touch of Hallertau hops in the finish. I think we're really going to enjoy this beer.  12/29/2020 esheppy Added gelatin to the keg. Hit with more CO2  12/31/2020 esheppy Clarity getting pretty good. Color gorgeous gold. Delicious beer. Just needs more carbonation.  01/01/2021 esheppy Officially ready to drink. The Beer Model declared it "yummers". Nice malty lager. Really like the Vienna malt flavor.  01/03/2021 esheppy Beer drinking this a bunch. Beautiful golden lager. Nice clarity. Carbonation right there. Really delicious. Easily consumed by the liter.  01/15/2021 esheppy Great beer. Both the Beer Model and I love it. Nice clear golden color. Carbonation about perfect. Great vienna malt flavor. Just enough bitterness to balance the malt. Nice floral Hallertau hop in the finish. Wonderful.  03/05/2021 esheppy Keg blew tonight. It was a wonderful beer while it lasted.